How to keep temp 200-250 degrees?

whldch

My technique is similar to WDE86, except, after reading Eric Mitchell's book, I now keep the bottom vent wide open throughout. Starting the fire everything is open, then gradually close off daisy wheel as you get closer to target temp. I feel as though I have really good control just using the top vent, obviously plenty of airflow through the wide open bottom. As I get within 50 degrees of target temp I shut down the daisy wheel or Smokeware damper, I use both at times. Once I reach target temp, I've held steady for 5 hours easy.

westernbbq

Toxarch said:

Hook up the Stoker.

The last time i saw a mouth like that it had a hook in it!  RIP Rodney Dangerfield...

I use the bbq guru digi q setup...i preset temp 30F below target temp and it invariably overshoots by  15-20 degrees and then i increase setting 2 or 3 degrees at a time until i hit the zone.  

Photo Egg

whldch said:

after reading Eric Mitchell's book, I now keep the bottom vent wide open throughout. 

What is the advantage of lower vent wide open and controlling with upper vents?

SirSquatch

whldch said:

My technique is similar to WDE86, except, after reading Eric Mitchell's book, I now keep the bottom vent wide open throughout. Starting the fire everything is open, then gradually close off daisy wheel as you get closer to target temp. I feel as though I have really good control just using the top vent, obviously plenty of airflow through the wide open bottom. As I get within 50 degrees of target temp I shut down the daisy wheel or Smokeware damper, I use both at times. Once I reach target temp, I've held steady for 5 hours easy.

Hmmmm...I guess I'm just a bit skeptical by nature, but this just goes counter to everything I've experienced on the Egg. Shutting down a hot fire just gives me bad smoke and heavy fluctuations in temperature. 

I generally smoke between 250-275, but my set up is
-Shake up the old charcoal to get the ash off it with an old grill brush
-Add in some lump wood for smoke near the bottom. 
-Pour in new charcoal as high as I need it.
-Open the top vent and bottom to where my Egg likes it for the temp I'm looking to get.
-Light 1 starter cube in the middle
-Let that burn off/start a small orb of burning charcoal in the middle.
-Throw a couple pieces of lump on top, add the plate setter and grade, close the lid
-Let the temp get up to where I want it and stabilize, plus getting good smoke
-Add food

Toxarch

westernbbq said:

Toxarch said:

Hook up the Stoker.

The last time i saw a mouth like that it had a hook in it!  RIP Rodney Dangerfield...

I use the bbq guru digi q setup...i preset temp 30F below target temp and it invariably overshoots by  15-20 degrees and then i increase setting 2 or 3 degrees at a time until i hit the zone.  

Interesting. The Stoker ramps down and only lets in short bursts of air as it approaches the target temp. It might overshoot by 5 degrees at the very most, which is no big deal. It's dead on the target temp long before the smoke clears.

Photo Egg

Toxarch said:

westernbbq said:

Toxarch said:

Hook up the Stoker.

The last time i saw a mouth like that it had a hook in it!  RIP Rodney Dangerfield...

I use the bbq guru digi q setup...i preset temp 30F below target temp and it invariably overshoots by  15-20 degrees and then i increase setting 2 or 3 degrees at a time until i hit the zone.  

Interesting. The Stoker ramps down and only lets in short bursts of air as it approaches the target temp. It might overshoot by 5 degrees at the very most, which is no big deal. It's dead on the target temp long before the smoke clears.

My FB 300 shot me over on my XL the first time I used it by 25-30 degrees.
Then it fumbled a little. It learned quickly and then held it almost spot on.
The second time I used it FB dialed in quickly on the XL and just as good on my Small Egg. The learning feature on the newer units is great. 

whldch

In his book, Mitchel simply says after experimenting with all settings he found the open lower vent and adjustng the upper to be the most reliable way to maintain temp. I was hesitant to try it, but it did work well and I've stuck with it for  a few months. My best explanation (not from his writing) is that the lower vent allows plenty of air in and produces lots of good smoke and airflow, but by limiting air out on top you do control the flow out of the egg and keep smoke in and temp consistent. I made ribs for nearly 5 hours with hardly touching any dampers after getting temps under control. I did use a cyberQ on that cook but

westernbbq

Toxarch said:

westernbbq said:

Toxarch said:

Hook up the Stoker.

The last time i saw a mouth like that it had a hook in it!  RIP Rodney Dangerfield...

I use the bbq guru digi q setup...i preset temp 30F below target temp and it invariably overshoots by  15-20 degrees and then i increase setting 2 or 3 degrees at a time until i hit the zone.  

Interesting. The Stoker ramps down and only lets in short bursts of air as it approaches the target temp. It might overshoot by 5 degrees at the very most, which is no big deal. It's dead on the target temp long before the smoke clears.

What i neglected to mention is that I am the one responsible for temp overshoot because usually, as is the case tonight, i am smoking two whole packers and two shoulders....all on xl with adj rig setup.  When i layer the food in the bge, the lid is obviously open and oxygen feeds the fire.  It doesnt take long and by the time i have everything on, its appx 15-20F or so over my target temp, So, when i,set guru temp 30 under by the time i get the stuff on it is pretty close to my cooking temperature.....

nolaegghead

For low, low temps, like if I'm smoking sausage or bacon, I light the top of the lump in a single spot near the front middle of the egg.  Leave the top open and watch it for a few minutes to see if it takes.  Then close the lid and both vents down to operating conditions.  Takes forever to get to temp, but the smoke is good, the fire small. 

If you try to get it up to operating temp quickly, you get a big fire, and when you need much less heat, you choke off that big fire and have a smoldering fire. 

If you think like you're running a stick burner, - hot hot fire, the size of which dictates the heat of the environment, you can get away with burning lump that people hate - like Cowboy or RO with good results.  The trick is hot and small.